Russian military claims to have fended off Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow

Russia’s military claims to have fended off a Ukrainian drone attack which prompted authorities to briefly shut one of the city’s airports.

Tuesday’s attack, which follows similar raids on the Russian capital in recent months, comes after a mutiny launched by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, which saw his Wagner troops approach Moscow in the biggest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin in more than two decades of his rule.

Ukrainian authorities, who generally avoid comments on attacks inside Russia’s proper territory, have not claimed responsibility for the raid.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said four out of the five drones were downed by air defences on the outskirts of Moscow and the fifth was jammed by electronic warfare means and forced down.

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said there were no casualties or damage.

The drone attack prompted authorities to temporarily restrict flights at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport and divert flights to other airports in the city.

Vnukovo is about nine miles south-west of Moscow.

In May, two daring drone attacks jolted the Russian capital in what appeared to be Kyiv’s deepest strikes into Russia.

Tuesday’s raid comes as Ukrainian forces continue probing Russian defences in the south and the east of the country in the initial stages of a counteroffensive.

Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s Security and Defence Council, said the military is focusing on destroying Russian equipment and personnel and claimed that the last few days of fighting have been particularly “fruitful”.

He provided no evidence for his claim and it was not possible to independently verify it.

The Ukrainians are up against minefields, anti-tank ditches and other obstacles, as well as layered defensive lines reportedly up to 12 miles deep in some places as they try to dislodge Russian occupiers.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday the Kremlin’s forces have “refined (their) tactics aimed at slowing Ukrainian armoured counteroffensive operations in southern Ukraine”.

Moscow has placed emphasis on using anti-tank mines to slow the onslaught, the assessment said, leaving the attackers at the mercy of Russian drones, helicopters and artillery.

“Although Russia has achieved some success with this approach in the early stages of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, its forces continue to suffer from key weaknesses, especially overstretched units and a shortage of artillery munitions,” the assessment said.

Western analysts say the counteroffensive, even if it prospers, will not end the war which started with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia, meanwhile, has continued its missile and drone barrage deep behind the frontline.

Russian shelling of Pervomaiskyi, a city in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, wounded 43 civilians, Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Tuesday.

Among the wounded were 12 children, including two babies, according to officials.

Oleksandr Lysenko, mayor of the city of Sumy in north-eastern Ukraine, said three people were killed and 21 others hurt in a Russian drone strike on Monday which damaged two apartment buildings.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack also damaged the regional headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine, the country’s main intelligence agency.

He urged western allies to increase supplies of air defence systems to help fend off Russian raids.

Mr Putin referred to the recent mercenary rebellion that rattled the Kremlin during a video call on Tuesday with leaders of the countries of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), a security grouping dominated by Moscow and Beijing.

He said “Russian political circles, the entire society have shown unity and responsibility for the fate of the motherland by putting up a united front against the attempted mutiny”.

He thanked SCO members for what he described as their support during the uprising.

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said a united front thwarted Mr Prigozhin’s mutiny.

He said on Monday in his first public comment about the episode it “failed primarily because the armed forces personnel have remained loyal to their military oath and duty”.

He said the uprising had no impact on the war in Ukraine.

In contrast, Mr Prigozhin said he had the public’s backing for his “march of justice” toward Moscow.